Those You've Known
by Angel From Above Is Here
Summary: Minerva discoveres someone she worked with every day was never the one she had known him to be. What will her reaction be? Title from a song from Spring Awakening!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Here I am again! It had been far too long since I had written a Harry Potter story, so I decided to write this down. It will be two chapters long. I hope you'll enjoy it! Reviews are greatly appreciated!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. There would be a lot more money in my bank account if I did…  
**

**Chapter one**

A soft breeze blew through the leaves of the trees of the Forbidden Forest. It caressed the rumble and broken glass laying shattered in the green grass alongside the Hogwarts walls. It blew a sad tune suited for the history this building and its inhabitants had recently experienced.

In one of the rooms on the first floor, Minerva McGonagall sat pondering the aforementioned history and how they were to continue after everything that had happened in these past two years. It seemed as if the only things they had left now were the memories of happier days, but God knew that was not enough.

The school had sustained a tremendous amount of damage. Every window in the Great Hall and the surrounding corridors was broken. Stones had come falling down during the final battle. The magic that had once protected this school had resided in the stones and glass of which it had been made, imbedded in it by its four founders to keep those inside Hogwarts' walls from harm. She feared that the school would never be protected the way it had been before. Too much of the knowledge Gryffindor, Hufflepuf, Ravenclaw and Slytherin had had, was now lost. What would the parents say when they found out? Would they still allow their children to return to Hogwarts?

But most of all she was afraid of what the last war had done to all of the students. Families had been torn apart. Parents had had to bury their children. Children were left without parents to look after them. How could they all find the strength and courage to go on after they had lost so many friends and most of their families?

She turned away from the window she had been facing. The air had grown too dark. Too many memories lingered in the shadows. In every raindrop running over it, she saw the face of someone who had lost his life during the last fight for freedom the Wizarding world had fought.

But even without staring outside she was reminded of the sacrifices this war had taken. Albus Dumbledore, Charity Burbage, thousands of other nameless men and women who had wanted nothing more than to return to the peaceful life they had once had.

It was difficult to find escape from the pain and horror she had seen, she admitted to herself. Too much blood, to many dead faces. She doubted she would ever have a peaceful night of sleep without being woken up by a nightmare about the Dark Lord or his Death Eaters.

Luckily she was brought back to the present when she heard a soft knock on her door. She wondered who it might be, as she had not been expecting any visitors. Only three days after the final battle she thought ministry official should have the courtesy to at least give people the time to come to terms with it all.

Upon opening the door, however, she was pleasantly surprised to see the last person she had expected to see had come to pay her a visit.

"Good evening, professor McGonagall," Harry Potter spoke as soon as she opened the door.

"Good evening, mister Potter," she greeted. "Don't be so formal, though. Minerva will do, after everything that's happened"

"Well, then I suppose you could do me a favor, too, and call me Harry."

She nodded her agreement whilst gesturing for him to step into her small living room and hand her his cloak. She could see it was wet from the drizzling rain that had been falling outside since darkness had set in. He handed it to her.

It was silent for a few moments. Harry looked at the room, noticing immediately that it lacked any photographs about his former professor's past.

He didn't have a lot of time to think about that, though, as Minerva stepped back into the room.

"Would you like to have some tea?" she asked him.

"That would be wonderful, thanks. It's rather cold outside," he added almost as an afterthought.

She couldn't help but smile slightly at hearing him say that. Harry, however, did not see that.

"Blinkey," she called upon one of the House Elves.

"Yes, miss?" the small creature spoke mere moments after having been called.

"Could you get us two cups of tea, please?"

Happy to be of any help, the House Elves disappeared back to the kitchens to do as she had been told.

The both of them took a seat opposite one another while they awaited her return. Harry was glad to be warmer and drier than he had been when he had walked through the gates.

The rain was still falling outside. It tapped against the window constantly, but the monotone sound only calmed Minerva. She had always liked the rain. When she was a young girl her father used to tell her that when it rained, the Angels were crying. Now, she thought he might just have been right.

Blinkey handed them two steaming cups of ordinary green tea a minute later, just as Minerva liked it. Harry made no complains either.

"What brought you here, Harry?" she wanted to know. "The last thing I heard was you had left for Grimmauldplace as soon as you had said goodbye to your friends and had visited professor Dumbledore's office one last time."

"I did go there. After the battle, I needed to feel close to the bounds I had with my family. So I went back to my old house and their graves, and moved into my godfather's old place," he explained.

Minerva voiced her disbelieve, although very discreetly, at him deciding to do that. Wouldn't it have been better to find a nicer place to live?

"Oh, I don't plan on staying there forever, if that's what you're asking, Minerva," the young man said. "Mister and misses Weasley have asked me to move in with them. Ron is my best friend, and Ginny and I have picked up where we left off before I dropped out of Hogwarts."

So they had pursued their relationship after all, she mused. She was happy they had. Those two were meant to be together. It had broken her heart when she had heard Harry had left Ginny.

"I'm sorry to say this, Harry, but you still haven't informed me what you came here to do. I take it you did not stop by to engage in small talk with an old woman like me," she suddenly spoke.

She might have been mistaken, but she thought she saw concern and a little nervousness flicker across his face at those words. It was quickly dispelled, though, so she wasn't completely sure what she saw.

Harry bend over and placed his half empty cup of tea on the table. Silence fell between them as he tried to find the right words to say what he had come here to ask of her. He knew she would not like his next words in the least, and he wanted to make things as easy on her as he possibly could.

"You do know that Severus is being tomorrow, don't you?" he softly asked her.

He saw her whole body tense. He had known she would react like that, but he had hoped she would have gotten passed her anger towards the man non-the-less. He had. After he had seen those memories, he understood Snape had only done what he had done because he had been forced to do it. It had been brave and selfless.

"I am well aware of that, mister Potter," she said.

So they were back at last names? He decided not to pay attention and continue anyway.

"Molly told me you aren't coming to the funeral. I was really sorry to hear that. I have to admit I came by to see whether there was anything I could say that would make you change your mind."

"I can assure nothing you could say could possibly make me change my mind. Too much has happened for that the ever be possible."

Her voice was hard and cold. As were her green eyes. Harry clearly saw the pain in them. He knew she was thinking about how Severus Snape had killed her best friend, Albus Dumbledore. He wished he could tell her Dumbledore had asked him to do that, but she would not listen.

"Then I am wasting not only your time, but mine as well. Well, at least I tried. I should be going now."

He rose from the couch. Minerva handed him his cloak and bade him farewell at her door. He told her one last thing before he took his leave.

"You know, Albus wouldn't have wanted you to hate Severus. He didn't hate him either."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: The end of this two-shot is up, dear readers… I hope you'll enjoy this chapter as well. Let me know if you do. And even if you don't!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters. The wonderful and charming JK Rowling does.  
**

**Chapter two  
**

The weather had cleared up somewhat. The clouds were less dark and it had stopped raining. But the cold wind was still present.

Minerva was standing outside the small church where Severus's burial was being held. She could hear the music playing softly.

She was torn between going back home and attending the funeral. She was late, because of it as well. She had paced her quarters at Hogwarts for three hours trying to figure out what she really wanted.

Harry's last words had thrown her into turmoil. He had spend so much time with Albus in the months before he died. More than she had, if she were honest. Was it possible that Albus had told him something and that he knew something about Severus she did not? And why had he asked her to come?

In her heart she wanted to believe Severus was a good man. In all those years she had known him he had helped those in need more than once. It was cruel of her not to pay him the respect every human being deserved.

So she walked up the stairs and soundlessly pushed open the small door leading into the church. She made sure not to be seen and not to disrupt the ceremony.

Harry, who had been sitting in the back, did notice her arrival. He smiled at her and nodded.

"And now, someone would like to say a few words in honor of this man," the wizard behind the altar said.

It was custom wizards were buried by another wizard. It allowed those who spoke in honor of the deceased to speak freely and without hesitation. This would undoubtedly be necessary here, she thought.

Harry got up and walked to the front of the church. There were whispers echoed everywhere, but so softly they were barely audible. They voiced the question everyone was asking himself at that point: why would Harry Potter, a young man who had never gotten along with Severus Snape, want to do this?

"Severus Snape was many things," Harry began. "He was a Dead Eater, a spy, a difficult man, a brilliant potions master. But he was so much more than that. I am sorry I cannot tell you how I know this, but believe me if I say I do. He is by all accounts the most selfless man I have ever met. This may seem strange, but I have forgiven him. Because I know what drove him to do the things he did. I can only hope that you will look into your hearts and forgive him as well."

Everyone clapped their hand. They were touched by Harry's words, as they realized they were coming straight from his heart.

Minerva look right into his eyes as he made his way back to his seat. She felt as if he had been speaking to her more than to the others. And now she knew why. Just as she knew why he had asked her to be present today.

_It was a dark night. There was little light from the moon and stars. The Carrows had put her on night patrol that night, for God knows what reason. But she did not complain, she didn't want to give them that satisfaction._

_She turned around the corner. So far everything had been very calm. She hadn't caught any students who were hanging around after curfew, or seen anything out of the ordinary. She prayed the rest of her patrol would be as easy._

_Her prayers, though, seemed to go unnoticed. Because she hadn't made it halfway down the hallway when she all but bumped into the one and only Severus Snape. He was coming out of a deserted classroom._

"_Watch where you're going!" he snarled, not knowing who he had in front of him._

"_Excuse me, you were the one nearly knocking me over, headmaster Snape!" she spat out._

_His eyes snapped up. She saw the chock on his face, even though it disappeared as quickly as it had gotten there._

_She breathed in and out deeply a few times to calm herself down. She couldn't get herself in trouble. It was hard enough to protect the students against the Carrows and other dangers as it was. If she was fired and they lost a protector, things would get even more difficult than they already were._

"_I do apologize for my rude behavior, headmaster. Night patrol has a tendency to do such things to people," she said._

"_There is no need to say sorry. I understand that on a night like this no-one likes being out on patrol," he politely spoke._

_She watched his retreating back. Why hadn't he growled at her as he normally did? Why was he letting her off without even a warning? This was a strange thing to do for a Dead Eater._

_She shook her head lightly and decided to be grateful he had done nothing more than walk away._

_Suddenly, however, she heard her name._

"_Minerva?"_

"_Yes, headmaster?" she replied as she turned back towards him._

"_You might realize very soon that I am not the one you've always known."_

_And he had disappeared in the darkness of the corridor, without saying another word. She had stood simply stood there for minutes on end before continuing her rounds._

This was why Harry had wanted her to come to Severus's funeral. He had never been the one she had always known. Although she had no idea what that really meant.

She fully returned to the present when she heard the others getting up. It was time to complete the burial. And she wanted to be there when the coffin was lowered into the earth. She could not forsake him now.

Harry came walking beside her. She had not expected it, but he whispered something to her whilst they made their way to the cemetery.

"If you want me to, I could tell you how I know he was a good man."

"I would like that very much," she told him.

They had arrived at the gates. The priest pushed them open to let them all in. He led them to the site. The four man carrying the coffin lowered it to the ground next to it.

"May God accept him into heaven," the priest spoke before he gestured to lower it.

Minerva noticed no-one made a move to throw a hand full of earth onto the coffin. She took the first move, together with Harry. And she transfigured her handkerchief into a dark red rose which she let fall into the hole.

Harry lay a small golden medal on the coffin. Minerva knew it to be the medal he had been awarded by the Ministry of Magic, for the bravery he had shown throughout the war. Though no-one else noticed. It shone in the few rays of sun now breaking through the clouds.

Two of the wizards who had carried the coffin now used their wands to lower the earth back into the pit, covering Severus Snape's body forever.

Everyone now left. They did not care enough for the man to stay any longer. But Minerva and Harry stayed behind. He understood she needed to know what he knew, and that she wanted to say goodbye in her own way.

She was staring at the gravestone.

_**Severus Snape  
9**__**th**__** January 1960 – May 2**__**nd**__** 1998 **_

"Professor Dumbledore trusted him with his live. I was foolish enough to doubt him. Until Severus gave me part of his memories right before he died," Harry began his story when she finally looked at him.

She nodded for him to continue, but did not verbally respond to what he had just said. Harry thought that might be because she did not trust her own voice.

"Professor Dumbledore was dying. He asked Snape to kill him if it had to come to that, for else Draco Malfoy would be the one to murder him. He did not want Draco's soul to be torn."

"A revelation indeed," she admitted. "But are you saying what I think you're saying?"

"Snape did everything he did because he was Dumbledore's spy. He had no choice. Dumbledore had a tight grip on the man. No offence, but he had. As had Voldemort. And Snape was loyal. He killed Dumbledore when he asked him to, without thinking about the consequences that might have for him. The only thing he wanted was for this war to come to an end. He wanted to escape from all the bad things he had seen and he had done. In the end it was Death who allowed him to escape."

Minerva sank down to her knees in front of the grave now. Harry saw her body tremble with tears, even though she did her best to hide them. He stepped closer to her and put a hand on her shoulder.

She grabbed it tightly. She now realized that Severus had never been the evil bastard she had thought he was. So many years she had not bothered to get to know him, but he had always shown her in many little ways that he needed a friend. And she had denied him the one thing he needed.

"He wouldn't want you to be sad, Minerva," Harry whispered. "He is at peace now. You should be, too."

"How can I when I never…"

"… when you never got close enough to give him a friend, which he so desperately needed?"

The boy is better at reading minds that he gives himself credit for, Minerva though to herself.

"He always thought of you as a friend. Even the past year, when you opposed him more than all the others. You opposing him was actually what made him see you even more as a friend."

She wiped her eyes with her hand. Bitter tears she would cry in the next days and weeks, she was sure of it. But there was only one thing left to do now. Then she could go home and mourn him in her own place and time.

"I think something's missing from that gravestone, Harry. Don't you agree?" she asked with a voice constricted with emotions.

Without awaiting his answer, she rose from the cold ground; She quickly looked around to see whether no Muggles were near. The cemetery was empty, as were the streets surrounding it.

She whispered something Harry could not understand before she put her wand back into her pocket.

"I am going home now, Harry. If you ever wish to talk, or if you need to get away, you know where to find me."

And she walked towards the gates, making her way to a secluded alley a little distance away where she could safely Apparate towards the Apparation Point in front of the Hogwarts gates.

Harry turned towards the gravestone one last time. There the new words shone.

**Severus Snape  
9****th**** January 1960 – 2****nd**** May 1998  
Beloved and honored friend**

_Yes,_ Harry thought as he left, _things will be alright in the end. But it sometimes takes a while to see that_.


End file.
